


Roommate

by ihopeitrainsmoneytoday



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Cussing, Enemies to Lovers, Flirting, M/M, Prejudice Against Monsters (Undertale), Slow Burn, Undertale Monsters on the Surface
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-10 07:50:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20524520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihopeitrainsmoneytoday/pseuds/ihopeitrainsmoneytoday
Summary: “Get the fuck out of my apartment!”“i paid the rent for this apartment too, asshole!”Struggling with his finances, Stretch found a way to rent an adequate apartment: by sharing a room with a roommate. It is a good idea for few reasons: the rent will be cut onto half, so he doesn’t have struggle to make end’s meet, and he will get a good damn room at that. It is all a good deal for him!Only, he doesn’t add having such an asshole roommate onto his consideration.





	1. this is a pretty good start, obviously everything will be fine in the future

An email just came by this morning.

This, of course, consists of his non-existent heart beating so loud – he felt like the whole world could hear it, and his phalanges which is on top of a mouse not clicking anything for at least 10 minutes, its cursor hovering on the unread inbox uselessly.

It’s not until 5 minutes later that Blue came by, frowning when he caught a sight of his brother staring at the screen so intense he worried his eyes might get hurt. So Blue trotted by, patted his brother on the back, said few comfort words to him: which only agitated his brother more. And clicked the mouse with his gloved hand.

That had earned Blue a glare, and Blue offered a smile that doesn’t look unapologetic at all, an apology with a tone as much as unapologetic Stretch figured his brother was doing it on purpose.

“But Papy...” Blue whined when his brother turned away, refusing to look at him, pouting. Aww. “You will only feel more anxious as minutes passed by,”

He really doesn’t want to look at the screen. What antics is Blue up to? As far as Stretch knows he was so anxious about this. He wants that e-mail to say that he succeeded on being an official student on his dream college AND that he got full scholarship of it. But of course, life might work both ways: not the way you want to, and occasionally, the way you want to.

If he doesn’t get the scholarship... he doesn’t know what he will do. Maybe in the next year he will study harder, and collect money just enough, just in case he if he get accepted, but doesn’t get the scholarship for the next year, he would still get to go to college because he could pay the student’s loan? Stretch really doesn’t want to do that. It is fine, he doesn’t mind working many part-time jobs... it’s just that, he worries about what Blue might do. Blue will of course work harder, beating himself up for not being able to get his younger brother to the college, he will get pitying stares and words of comforts from his friends as well.

And Stretch hated it the most.

“Papy, I’m so proud of you! Look!”

At the hug, Stretch finally, FINALLY, stared at the computer screen.

At the announcement that said he had met requirement to get full scholarship to his dream college, he had laughed with glee, he raised Blue up and spun around on the living room, laughing along with his brother, until they felt dizzy. They fell on the sofa with a thump, Stretch’s heart fluttered with happiness.

-

This is the second hardest decision for him.

The first being opening the announcement for his scholarship – well, even that it was not him that technically did it. It was his cunning little piece of shit he called brother, but well...

“Papy...” Blue whined, although his voice is muffled by being buried on his brother’s hoodie. “As long as I favor hug... stop it. This has been going on for too long. People are _staring_,” his little brother squeaked as Stretch only hugged Blue tighter.

He really doesn’t want to let Blue go. He doesn’t want to leave his hometown, to another bigger city that is bustling with the entire unknown that is unfamiliar to Stretch. Though deep in his heart, he know that is the right thing to do. With him getting the degree from the well-known college, probably after years spent with tears and hardships, he would get a better paid job that would finally suffice for his liking. He wouldn’t have to struggle making ends meet. He could buy Blue whatever he wanted, and Blue doesn’t have to stress over the piling bills anymore.

“C’mon,” Blue patted his back. “It will be okay, I believe in you,”

With that, and the announcement coming from the announcer that the train will be leaving soon, he let Blue go uncertainly. He waved at him, telling him he would call often, send texts often, and Blue promised he would do the same.

As he entered the train Stretch gripped the lunchbox filled with Blue’s taco, hard.

But when Stretch had taken his seat, he couldn’t help it when he saw Blue wiped his tears with his Blue bandana. Blue squeaked as his brother appeared again in front of him and wiped his tears while the trAIN HAD LEFT!!?!?!?! WHAT IS HIS BROTHER DOING!?

“PAPYRUS!”

He only offered a careless chuckle even when the train was _clearly _leaving behind him. “don’t cry,”

Blue glared at his brother, then pointed with his eyes at the train, then, his brother’s sheepish grin, later then, at the empty spot in front of him, air sizzling with the aftermath of teleportation. But then, as all that shock fades and the train in front of him disappeared from his sight, Blue laughed, still he got down on his knees, burying his face with his gloved hand as many tears spilled down to it.

_“don’t cry,”_

As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t stop the tears that couldn’t stop spilling out.

-

The apartment consists of a bunk bed, a bathroom that is inside- well, that’s nice, if he didn’t have a room with no roommate, he probably could only rent apartment with a bathroom that is outside, that he has to share with the other occupants- air conditioner, a table, and a wardrobe! Well, enough is enough. He could manage with this.

“The kitchen is outside as well, oh, and if you’re out of water, you can request a gallon or two on the 1st floor. As you can see, me and my husband live there,” the lady explained, whilst smiling. “Is this to your liking?”

“can’t say this is not a nice room. you gotta a nice taste here,” he winked. “i’m sure i’m gonna enjoy spending my time here, i just can feel it in my bones,”

At that the lady chuckled, but then, her forehead wrinked, worry etched onto her face. “Quite funny young man you are, but if I may advise you...” she bit her lips for a while, before sighing. “You do know... some humans are not yet accepting... kind of you onto the surface right? I do worry, that some of the occupants here... have such trait,” she chewed her lips, but then a smile made a way to her lips. “Please do be careful, do not get onto trouble,”

That worried tone, it reminded him of Sans. Sans is always so worried, wanting him to be careful over everything anything. Stretch chuckled at that, at least God have mercy on him and even far away from home, there’s a small part of this vast city that made him felt like home.

“don’t worry, ma’am. i have a thick skin,” 

At that the lady snorted, before hitting him, lightly, and excusing herself. He only chuckled and waved his arm lazily toward her.

If he could meet hospitality in this landlady, he hoped he would find the same with his soon-to-be roommate.

-

“Yes, I have arrived. Everything is fine so far, so I hope it goes the same way there,”

With confident strides, Edge went to his designated room. A room on the second floor with a reasonable price and a... roommate? Edge doesn’t really care. The place is to his liking when he saw the pictures of it on the internet, and the place is not so far away from his campus. Though, if it doesn’t look even close to the picture that he had just saw... well, he could take care of that.

Edge listened, waiting for his brother’s reply and upon receiving it, sighing loudly - making sure that his brother could hear it and sense that he didn’t like it. Not in one bit. He massaged his nasal aperture, as if that could ease away the pain blossoming on his skull whenever those terrible puns came out of that annoying little shit he called brother.

“No. No one has tried funny business with me when I’m on my way here, so no, there’s no one for you to pick a bone with,” he growled. If someone did, though, he could handle himself. It is not the first time Edge wondered if he would stop treating him like a baby. Sans’s height is only to his iliac crest for God’s sake! Yet, all that defensive and protective nature never disappeared completely from him. Even if until the last of his breath he would deny that, he_ did_ feel some warmth radiating in him whenever his brother acted like so.

“Don’t think you can slack off while I am away, I will occasionally ask the kid of what you did and what you _didn’t _do around the house, so don’t get too excited jackass,” over the phone, he could hear the other groan and Edge’s triumphant smile made its way onto his face. “Do your laundry, don’t nap around too much, wash the dishes, take out the trash, and...” his room is coming onto view, Edge briefly wondered if his roommate has arrived or not. “Take care,” he finished, before closing the phone.

He offered a polite smile when he came across a bunny monster. And the other politely replied the smile.

He had learned that, in the surface, ‘kill or be killed’ rule doesn’t apply unless you’re in an army heading out to the country with a warzone. In a peaceful country, like the one Edge resided in, it is important to make as many ally as possible. To make people like you and respect you. And to achieve that, you have to respect them first and give the impression that you like them as a person. That way, if you’re in need, those ‘ally’, or they used to call ‘friends’ would come to your aid. When you’re in trouble, the weight could be lifted by the help of them even if it is lifted just for a small bit.

Upon arriving at his room, Edge opened the door.

If he said he isn’t surprised, he would be lying.

On the table, there, a skeleton – with a height like him and a face like him, except form that not-so-jagged teeth and orange eye light – watched him, his eye lights unfocused, book opened on the table.

It seemed like he had taken a nap, and he had woken up when Edge was fumbling with the lock. His reading glasses crooked, a book opened n the table, a visible crease on the paper was present and he yawned loudly, Edge winced.

“heya,” the skeleton, with a hoodie colored orange so bright it made Edge’s eyes twitch, greeted dismissively.

Edge only squinted his eyes at him, but he realized, he had to shove his dislike about the other’s laziness to the side – because this is the person that he will spend probably years in the same roof together. “Hello, did you have a good dream?” Edge answered, while closing the door. He then put his baggage to the side.

The other detached his reading glass, and then he stretched until his bones popped. And Edge’s scrunched his nasal in disgust. This time though, the other noticed.

“whoops. sorry,” he chuckled, “actually, to answer your question, nope. i owe you a thanks for waking me up,” he winked. And before Edge could voice out his concern, the other stood up, with his half-lidded eyelids, he tilted his head to the side. “may i do a check?”

-

It is normal for monsters to do this. And it is a well-known fact that it is not polite to do it to a stranger they barely know, unless both monsters are engaging in a fight. Furthermore, it is one of the ways to know about this edgy-looking him? More.

The other skeleton, he had black jeans jacket and ripped black jeans. He was wearing a red turtleneck that look so disturbingly like the color of blood. Stretch raised an eyebrow, sure the other does have a good look. But what’s up with that red and black business? Well, maybe the other him is just in his edgy phase. So he let it pass.

The other seemed taken aback at that. Before then, that red eye lights flickered at him, and he nodded, agreeing.

**PAPYRUS**

**LV 13**

**HP 1360/1360**  
AT 40  
DF 40

***Trying to get a better life in a big city. Just like you.**

-

Edge doesn’t miss out how the other’s lazy smile, so suddenly turned into a scowl. He sighed at that. Of course, of course this would happen. He was too naive to think that anyone and everyone would accept him the way he is after what he had done in the past.

“Keep the shock to yourself, don’t make your surprised face too obvious like that, _Papyrus_,” he leered. All that thought about making ally with his so-called-roommate goes out of the window. What did he know about him anyway? Absolutely nothing. How can a person judge someone’s behavior and trait just by the amount of LV he has without giving a second thought about the reason behind it? He scoffed. 

At that, though, the other hissed. “nah, bad idea pal. there’s no way i’m calling a _monster_ like you my name,”

He ignored the insult, as he opened the baggage and starts to arrange his clothes to the cupboard. “Let’s not call each other Papyrus, then,” he offered. He focused more on making his clothes folded neatly rather than the anger thumping inside his skull.

“Edge, then,” he folded his wrists.

He gripped the clothes he had been holding, tighter, “...You got a dead wish or something?”

“see? be careful, you might cut yourself with that edge,” when he heard a snicker coming from his counterpart. Edge had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.

“Fine by me, Stretch,” he then stood up, and folded his wrists as he faced him. It is only fair to give the other nickname that he doesn’t give much thought about if other did as carelessly to him as well.

He seemed to consider it for a moment, before shrugging nonchalantly.

“eh, fine. whatever. as long as you don’t call me dust or some shit,”

Edge suppressed the urge to growl at that, and he only clenched his fist.

“As long as I appreciate your _hospitality_, I would prefer going outside for a walk,” he said, making sure venom was decorating his words. Stretch only stared at him for a moment.

“sure, just so you know, if you hurt the landlady or the husband on the 1st floor, i’ll make sure you won’t be seeing the sunlight ever again,” he tilted his head challengingly. One eyelight’s flaring with magic, and Edge tensed for a while. It was not an idle threat, even if it’s been just a few minutes he knew the other, he _knew _that. Years of being in a kill or be killed world taught him just as much. It’s not the threat that irked him however, it’s the accusation that offended him.

“And how do you conclude I am going to do that?” he hissed.

“with that much LV? doesn’t need a detective to conclude that, _numbskull,_” he shoved his hand onto his hoodie pocket. “just how many people you have dusted because they do so much as getting on your nerves? or it is too many you forgot to count?”

The dam broke. At that Edge went closer to the other, and he grabbed the other’s collar. The other however, remained unflinching; eyesight’s facing head-on with his red of his. How dare him, how dare him judge that the LV he had accumulated was the result of him_ wanting_ to do so?

“Quit it, will you?” his voice low, as he glared at him. Making sure he got his point sent across. “Or will you join with the _others _that have gotten on my nerves?”

After that, finally, his relaxed stance changed. He went defensive, and he glared back at him. In the air, Edge could feel buzz of magic flaring in the air. The other only chuckled darkly.

“you think it will be that easy?” he offered his shit-eating grin. “try me,”

Edge seethed. But then, his rational thought reminded him, that he is the person he will be spending years with on the same room. His roommate, as much as he aggravated him, maybe there’s a part, a tiny bit, a 0.000001% part of the other that Edge would like. He then opted to reason with him. “Do you really think I have this much LV, for fun? Because I want to?” he asked, and he felt the other’s posture went rigid. “It’s only been few minutes you met me, you don’t know what my background is, and the reason behind your _dislike_. You don’t even know me,”

The other’s eyes widened and for a moment, Edge thought the other understood. “you’re right,” he said, with a surprised expression. But then, his expression changed back to his usual demeanor. “and i don’t intend on getting to know more about you, nor i am interested. your LV told me just enough,”

Edge was so close to forming a bone construct and hitting it to the wall beside the other’s skull. Just barely missing the other’s head. But he remembered the amount of HP the other has, and how it would make the already bad situation got even worse, so he refrained himself.

He then let go of the other’s collar, and the other only raised a brow bone at him.

“what? an edge-lord that is sulking? this is new,”

Edge ignored him, he only reached out to his wallet and put it on his jacket.

“c’mon,” Edge took a sharp breath as the other suddenly appeared in front of him. It confused him for a moment, but as he saw the aftermath of teleportation sizzling in the air, it erased his confusion.

“walking EXP is right in front of you,” he opened his arms widely, mockingly resembling the gesture of a hug.

Edge only shoved the other sideways.

“You’re not worth the time to waste for,” Edge hissed, and the other glared back.

“Take the upper bed, the bed under is mine,” he muttered, before walking away. He doesn’t wait for the other to reply before closing the door right in front of his face. He however, heard the other exclaim on the other side, _“i got to be on the bed below? that is so cool!” _

Edge sighed.

So much for a good start. 


	2. it's technically a date

“So, I take it you can start by Monday, yes?”

“bingo,”

The bunny monster, she looked tired, maybe after all that years of managing this small cafe at the corner of the street, which can be reached with a healthy amount of walks from Stretch’s apartment, finally take a toll on her. She only looked at Stretch, who was now winking at her, unimpressed.

She then put down the CV down the table, as she adjusted the eyeglasses.

“Grillby will be helping you with your training. Don’t worry, it’s just taking orders, sweeping the floor, yelling at the chefs about the order, and other waiter stuff,” the bunny motioned toward the fire monster wiping down the table. The fire monster, with glasses on nodded at him.

“no need to worry grillbz, i won’t be much of a burden,” he waved lightly at him. “my inner self told me that i was _burn_ for this,”

He heard Grillby snickers, before turning back to work. Meanwhile, the bunny monster rolled his eyes at that. “If you say so, don’t be late,”

“_oil_ go, then,”

He saw the fire monster shook his head in amusement, and the bunny covered her face with her hand. Though a faint smile present on her face, seemingly contemplating whether to groan or laugh.

He decided that, yes, this is a good enough of a workplace for him to pay the bills.

Not once or thrice did he wonder how it felt to be a human. They can breathe, have skin and do... lot of cool stuff. But this, is one of the moments he was glad he is not a human, because he would be having a heart attack when he bumped onto the person he obviously did not want to bump onto in the whole world, or Edge for short.

“wahhh! h-hey!” he greeted. Totally not jumping for a second and 100% composed. “i almost jumped out of my skin here, pal. come on, don’t scare me like that,”

Edge, eyes wide, before composing himself. Only him God, and the author know whether he was shocked as well or not. He then rolled his eye lights when Stretch had finished speaking, “Don’t blame me, blame the universe or whatever,”

“yep. ok. well, then, i’m gonna go and blame him, or her,”

Stretch’s want to go as far away from the skeleton then was cut short when he felt a hand grabbing firmly at his arm. “dude, what’s the big idea?” Stretch raised one of his brow bone. “you said i need to go to blame the universe? let your pal go, pal,”

“I was just looking for you. What a luck, the landlady only vaguely mentions you goes ‘south’, either,” Edge sighed, “I need to discuss some things to you,” his grip didn’t loosen, if else it only tightened. But not tight enough to hurt. “So no, before we had that talk,”

“we _are _already talking,”

Edge let out an exasperated huff, making the sigh as loud as possible to let the other know that he was done with his shit. “Not... not like this, let’s go inside and have a bite or two,” Edge offered.

“oh, a date? sounds fun. but, sorry, you have to face rejection in this beautiful morning. you’re handsome and all but... you’re not my type?”

Edge only deadpanned at him, before his skeletal hand came up to his forehead. And he flicked.

“ouch! what’s the big –“

“I was merely shooing away the stupidity from your head. Now that it’s gone let’s go in. We need to have a talk about our... room arrangement,” at that Edge grumbled, as if even just letting out the words and the idea of it annoy the hell out of him.

“fine. a date it is then,” Stretch hummed, and Edge was in a faraway mood from wanting to hum along. He didn’t know how many times he have rolled his eye lights because of Stretch’s antics, and if he were to get some kind of illness of not being able to roll his eye lights anymore, he would know who to blame.

“Apparently it is not that easy to make a stupidity from one’s head to go away,” Edge heaved, before taking a seat, choosing the table which is close with the glass window. The sight of the park, fountain, cloudy weather and people-- with some not-people-- walking could be seen from the inside. “Yours persist,”

Stretch was still wearing his shit-eating grin. Probably to annoy the other out. “thanks, i’ve always been told that i’m one of a kind,”

“You’re welcome,” Edge replied blandly, before waving his hand toward the waiter.

A bunny monster came by, a frown on her face. “I thought you would come back on Monday,”

“well, my date Edge here, beg to differ,” he motioned to Edge with his hand as if a sales clerk would motion what they are selling to their potential customer.

“Not your date,” Edge grumbled under his breath. Before scanning the menu list, and hummed in contentment when his eyes caught sight of what matched his standard. “Lasagna and a glass of water would be fine,”

“A lasagna and a bottle of water for Stretch’s date,” the bunny with a deadpan wrote on her list, although a small smirk tugged on the corner of her mouth. Edge let out a muffled groan and Stretch only snorted loudly. Only when two pair of eyes was directed at him then he stopped laughing.

“what? i know that i have good looks. but don’t stare at me too long. it’s getting creepy,” Stretch faked a shudder and he almost got amused at the two monsters rolling their eyes almost simultaneously.

“Don’t keep me waiting, I have other duties to attend to. What’s your order?”

At that Stretch froze. He was half self-conscious to Edge’s hardening stare. But if he noticed the way he froze, he didn’t show it. “uh... i’m not hungry,”

**PAPYRUS**

**LV 1**

**HP 5/5**  
AT 1  
DF 1

***Is really hungry. Hasn’t even had a breakfast.**

“How honest of you,” Edge said, flatly. Ignoring the pointed look Stretch gave as he finished checking him. “Pancakes, please. Make the glasses of water two, if you will,”

“no,” Stretch said. The tone lacking of humor and his stiff posture made the other two stop. “i, would rather save my savings, please,” he hissed. And the way the words were said with annoyance in it made Edge get taken aback. Even the bunny, her pen only hovered on top of the notes. Looking at Edge nervously, hoping for a confirmation or two.

Edge wondered for a moment. It was obvious that, the other were hungry. It was even stated in the stat. Usually, the thing that was written in the stat was the one thing that occupied one’s monster mind the most at that moment. What his stat said was enough for Edge to say:

“This one is on me,”

The other two were quiet for a moment, it seemed like time stopped and everything was on focus for the monster wearing bright neon orange hoodie. Before Stretch huffed, “fine,” he said.

The bunny, though, bit her lips. She writes down the orders, before scurrying off.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the atmosphere had gone somber. Edge has a slight idea about what was happening, but he figured that probing about what was probably something personal to a person he barely knows isn’t possibly a very bright idea.

“What’s the big idea?” he said, mimicking Stretch’s tone. “You ran out of battery or some shit? You got so quiet all of sudden,”

At this point, he would even take a pun or two from the other as long as the other decided to speak up and lift this not-so-fun atmosphere. It was slowly killing Edge, also defeat the purpose of him dragging his ass here, which is, of course, is talking.

He doesn’t expect the other to sigh though, his eyes adverting those crimson’s of Edge. “just between me and you,” he said, tone low. He looked at Edge’s eyes, then, and Edge was so sure he saw defeat in there, only for a moment, before it was back to the white, pristine floor, shining because of the umpteenth time it was swept. “i hate being in someone’s debt,”

Edge tilted his head at this. What bothered him is that he could in some way, relate. Being a monster with a pride or thousandth inside of him and all that. Doing something done by himself was awesome, but having deed for him done by not-him was the other. He contemplates for a while; will it dishearten the other more if he emphasizes the fact that Edge was willing to spend few bucks so that the other wouldn’t be hungry? Would it hurt his pride then, that Edge did that act because he truly cares for the other’s well-being, or anyone really, if they were put in the same situation, in that matter? 

“I did say,” well. This could only go two ways: succeed or fucked. “That it is on me. You’re not in someone’s debt at the moment. Not to me, at least”

This produces a growl from the other, thus declares the fact that Edge was fucked. “i will pay it back to you,” he said, before lowering his gaze toward the floor. As if ashamed to what he was about to say next, “just, give me some time,”

“Yes,” he said, conceding. It was for the best, something inside of him said. “Of course,”

Stretch seemed content at that, before slumping back to his seat to watch the commotion outside, of birds that were chirping and the sunlight that peeked shyly over the clouds, giving its touch to the ground earth, on the outside. Edge however, looking at the inside of the small cafe. It is a neat, small cafe with minimalist design and it dominates on the brown, wood interiors that is placed with such care here and there. Edge could have chosen different cafe that suit his taste better, really, but well, he needed to talk to the other. And this was the closest possible place to force-drag the other into a situation where they both can talk without having the other teleporting somewhere far away to escape.

“The bunny said,” Edge started though his eyes were still on the people inside the cafe. There was a woman, with a child jumping excitedly beside her, paying for the bill. There was a lone person, eyes glued to his laptop screen, once in a while sipping his matcha, boba visible through the transparent glass. “You are supposed to be here on Monday,”

“yeah,” Stretch replied lazily, eyes still glued to the park outside. “part-time work,”

“That won’t bother your study?”

Even though Edge couldn’t see him with their ridiculous talking-but-not-wanting-to-talk position, Edge could feel that the other was rolling his eye lights because of the annoyance present on his voice. “how do you know i am a student?”

“The landlady told me,”

Stretch then crossed his arms, “i could handle just fine. what now, after acting like some sort of sugar daddy, you act like you actually care now?”

Here we go again.

Stretch was facing him now. and Edge turned to look at him as well, only to be greeted with the other’s frown, “we were at each other’s throat just a moment ago. why the sudden change, huh?”

At least the conversation was going to Edge’s direction. “Yes, that. Let’s talk about our room arrangement,” he said, as calmly as possible. If he is still in Underfell he would say the tone with an icy one, and uncountable amount of hissing. Here, he would prefer keep his temper in check. It would make things easier and the police wouldn’t hunt down his ass if he chose such a stupid, reckless decision to dust someone only because that particular person was getting on his nerves, 24/7. “I did talk to the landlady. Turned out all the rooms there are currently occupied. I don’t have other rooms that I could rent, beside the room I currently reside in,” he huffed, his face read ‘irritated’, “I don’t suppose you would want to move away from the apartment, wouldn’t you?”

Really, if he were a human, his lip would be bleeding from the amount of biting and chewing. Glad that he is not. “no, so...” Stretch squinted his eyes. “why don’t _you_ move away to the other apartment?”

Yeah that is the cleverest response ever existed on the planet.

Edge tapped his skeletal finger on the table impatiently, hoping to have more patience in him. “I could ask the same to you: why don’t _you_ move? But well. That would result in some useless banter and useless waste of my time, so don’t answer my question,”

Stretch was contemplating whether Edge was choosing a smart move, or to be offended at his words. But he chose to keep his mouth shut nevertheless.

“I liked the place, it is near to my campus,”

“huh,” Stretch responded, sounding a bit more interested on the topic at last. “i hope you’re not a medical student,”

Edge frowned at that. “No. I’m a law student,”

He heard Stretch sighed loudly, and dramatically at that, clutching his front hoodie, looking upward satisfied, slumping on his seat and all that. It is hard to not to roll his eyes at the sight. “I presume you belong to the Faculty of Medicine, then,”

Stretch snapped his fingers toward him. “classes haven’t started just yet, nevertheless good deduction, mr. detective,”

Edge was about to retort that he didn’t went as a law student to become a detective. But he closed his jaws. Saying so would only cause a discussion that have no end and only annoy him further, amuse the other more, which meant bad end for Edge. So he refrained himself, and buried his face onto his skeletal fingers.

“Let’s not stray away from the main topic, shall we?” Edge said, but the words that he was about to let out got held by his throat when he saw someone walked over to them. “Thank you,” Edge said to the waiter, eyeing the cheesy lasagna and a glass of water being put on the table, along with the pancakes that were drizzled with generous amount of honey.

“thank you very much, hottie,”

The fire monster snickered while Edge only deadpanned at him. When the other have left after receiving a certain skeleton’s wink, of course. Edge continued, “So, we don’t like each other. Even idiots know that. But, problems comes when we are forced to live under the same roof, same apartment, same room,”

“you could still move away if you want to,” the way Stretch talked with his mouth full, a spoonful of pancakes and all that, made Edge want to go over the other, clamp his jaw shut, and glare-murder the other into finishing his food first before properly talking. But again, if there were actions, there were consequences, so Edge only massaged his temple and let the other does continue his unspeakable act.

“So could _you_, but we both know that neither of us would want to,” Edge said, solemnly, “There will be unwanted commotions if both people who don’t like each other live under the same roof, don’t you think?” Edge crossed his arms. “I propose we apply some ground rules,”

That receives a loud laugh, and, to Edge’s delight, sound of choking, the other then repeatedly hitting his fist against his ribcage. Edge was tempted to watch the other choke to death, but he would get more trouble than it worth later on. So, with a small smirk present on his mouth, he offered the other a glass of water, which the other took with the speed of light.

“I would not know where to put my face if I were you,” he snickered. The other was sporting an orange hue on his cheekbones, what a sight.

“f-fuck off,” the other stammered, before wiping his mouth with his sleeves. “but really, rules? that was lame as fuck. must you be so on edge?” the other flailed his hands in the air.

Edge ignored the use of japes, “Be quiet and listen. You won’t find these rules so _lame_ and even useful later on,” he then leaned in to the other. “First rule, no touching each other’s belongings,”

It was Stretch’s turn to roll his eyes this time, “but! those boring books! and simple luggage! that everyone else have, GOD, all that belonging of yours looked SO interesting, and fancy, can i just touch it for just 1 millisecond?”

Edge clenched his teeth, hard. “Can you elaborate, or _not_?”

“...fine,” Stretch grumbled, before seemingly remembering something and changed his mood. That proven by him sending a wink to the tense skeleton. “that also includes you not moving my stuff even for an inch, eh?”

Edge ignored his remark, “Second rule,” Edge began, “Keep the room clean. That meant, I won’t give a fuck even if you dissect a frog on the table and turn the room onto a destroyed ship that was hijacked by pirates, bombed and all that. I won’t bother or care of whatever shit you are doing, it’s your business. As long as you made it clean and tidy afterward,” 

“aw c’mon edge,” he gave him a lopsided grin, “don’t give me ideas,”

“_Only_, If you do it while I’m NOT in the room and the room doesn’t smell like shit afterward. Then, I’ll probably consider giving you another idea,”

Stretch rolled his eyes, “can’t wait to hear the third, i’m so excited these boring rules talk kept me at the edge of my seat,”

Edge let out an exasperated sigh. “Can’t you use another word instead of edge?”

Stretch shrugged, and he let out a faint chuckle. “well, go on, don’t leave me cliff-hanging,”

It wasn’t even funny. But the other cackled so loudly until he tipped his chair backward and caught the attention of few customers. Edge certainly wasn’t imagining to hear choking sound again, but this time, it is from him this time who shoves forkful of pancakes down the other’s throat. He certainly is very enjoying Stretch’s antics at the moment.

“Let’s get to the third rule that you are so excited about,” Edge said dryly, not waiting for the other to stop laughing. “Don’t invite for a fight inside the room. I would be fine with beating your ass, but then, that room is supposed to be a place I get peace from. I’m done with college stuff? I would be resting on that room. I get a lot of homework which would affect my score whether I do it right or I fucked it up? I would do it with full conentration without disturbance – that is you – on that room. the least you can do to help is to keep your mouth shut, which is, may be a lot harder for you to do, I suppose,” he lifted his chin up. “As I said, I would gladly beat your ass. But not, while I am trying to rest, or do my homework. Do I make myself clear?”

“whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up edge-lord,” the other held his hands up, “you, saying those kinds of thing, is already inviting for a fight. don’cha think? do you suppose those kind of words won’t hurt my feelings?” 

“It’s okay. Skeletons don’t have heart,” Edge said grimly.

Stretch still shot him a glare, though with that lazy smile on his face, Edge isn’t so sure if that still could be called a glare. “as long as you don’t disturb me, irk, or bother me. i won’t invite you for a fight,” he slumped back on his seat, arms crossing over his chest, defensive. “besides, i’m too bone-tired all the time for that,” he winked.

Edge suppressed an urge to groan at that, but he gave a firm, stoic smile, nevertheless. “That’s what I was trying to say. Don’t bother me, I won’t bother you. Don’t get on my nerves, I wouldn’t shoot you with hardened bones jutting out from the ground,” he then smirked. “If you at some point is not... too tired, for a fight thought. You shouldn’t worry, I will not kill you. Just think of it as a sparring session. It will be good for both of us to let off some steam, huh?”

He growled at that, as if giving him some kind of a warning. “are you sure you’re not a serial killer walking around, bud? the way you talk remind me of one,” his toothy grin widened, “that LV agrees with me also,”

“Let’s not talk about my LV, shall we?” Edge smiled, not a friendly one, albeit. “That is one way of inviting me for a fight,”

Stretch gave him a look, before then he looked to the floor. Edge even thought that he would hear an apology, but remembering of how much of an ass he was on responding the other’s leer, he would not be surprised if he weren’t given one. And he weren’t, it is proven, three seconds have passed and the other still hasn’t said anything.

Edge then cleared his throat. As if that could ease the tension build up in the air. “Last rule,” he breathed out. “It’s okay if you are inviting someone over to the room, but tell me first. There is a technology called texting, that was invented to help us also leech off our money to be given to the higher ups, years ago,” 

“huh,” Stretch said, “you sure that is not your way to get my number, my _dearest _roommate?”

Edge rolled his eye lights. “No. I lost interest in you after you said I am not your type,” he humored.

“really sucked that i fucked up my one and only chance,” he continued, before fishing out his phone from his inventory and giving it to Edge.

Edge tapped his number then, and gave it back to Stretch. A buzz was heard, and Edge fished out his phone and showed who the caller was on his phone’s screen toward Stretch by holding up his phone. Stretch then nodded, and put his phone back to his inventory. The sound of buzzing was unheard of, then.

“Oh, and lastly,” Edge added, his eyes directed at Stretch who was gulping down his water. Plates clean despite the crumb and sticky condiment here and there. “Always lock the door. I didn’t input this to the rules because I am sure you are not dumb enough to forget about this,”

“ouch,” Stretch clutched onto his chest, making a move of staggering back, as if he was just shot by an arrow. “you hurt me, do you not trust me to lock the door always and let potential thief get onto our room, get our belongings, despite the security that was standing 24/7 on the first floor of the apartment?”

“My apologies. Do I need to get first aid kit?”

Stretch sneered at that, before resting his head back to the seat, eyes closing. It is as if he wanted do nap right there and right now.”is that all? or is there another rule after the last rule, or another precaution after what you said was ‘lastly’?”

“If you want to add another rule or precaution then, there is another. This is the rule for us both, afterall,”

“nah,” Stretch waved his arm, before then snatching the receipt strapped with a cellophane tape on the tray, “i am a go-with-the-flow guy, maybe later,” he then waved the receipt in the air. “i will be paying the delicious pancake, glass of water, and your kindness in one month. that is the day i would get my fee, heh. please do say that it’s ok, edge lord,” he managed what Edge suppose is supposed to be ‘puppy eyes,’ but in Edge’s opinion, he had failed miserably. It made him want to poke his eyes instead.

“Sure,”

“fantastic,” Stretch then stood up, “well then, it was a marvelous date. but i have an interview for another part-time hour in 20 minutes,” he said while watching at his watch.

Edge frowned at that. He applied for another part-time job? Must he? But Edge swallowed the question, he instead waved his hand, when the other gave him a salute, leaving Edge with his unfinished lasagna.

He forked a mouthful then, savoring the cheese and the beef that melts like a heaven, inside his mouth.

Why should he care about how Stretch could manage his time with two part-time jobs, how it is a clear fact that medical student must have fuck-ton of assignments to do later on, and the way Stretch’s eyes dulled when Edge asked about Stretch’s order?

He was just his roommate. Scratch that, the roommate that Stretch hated. And Edge hated him as well, the feeling were equal. And it probably wouldn’t change as the year goes by.

Edge then stabbed his lasagna with his fork, and chewed another forkful. He tried to think of anything but the skeleton that always succedded on getting on his nerves. He gazed to the people, and monsters, few of them, walking on the park, of a big oak tree -- which shadow protected the kids sitting on the bench talking to each other-- from the sunlight. Of anything else that could be seen from inside the glass window, hoping it would serve as a distraction from his perplexed mind.

It doesn’t work.

**Author's Note:**

> ok... maybe... i shouldnt have many projects at once orz. BUT im sure i can do it!!! /brimming with excitement


End file.
